Preparing for Halloween This Year

Ready for a different Halloween? It won’t be the same, but it can still be fun!

It’s the annual celebration of everything ghoulish! Kids and grown-ups alike love to create costumes and fill our homes with the spooky spirit of Halloween. Family parties, school events, and the nightly tradition of trick-or-treating will definitely be different this year – but we can still make our celebrations fun and memorable. 

Halloween is here! And so are big changes. 2020 has been full of bombshells – so none of us should be shocked that October 31 will sport a full moon this year – or that it falls on a Saturday! Normally we would pack the day with costume parades, trunk-or-treats, and parties galore, but this year the CDC has recommended against traditional activities like trick-or-treating and indoor parties, as well as hay rides and crowded fall festivals. With the coronavirus still threatening our neighborhoods, it’s time to get creative and come up with some new tricks.

What can we do to make it fun, for kids of all ages? Fun comes in all shapes and sizes, and there are many ways to keep the Halloween spirit alive. And some of these activities could even create new traditions that focus on our communities rather than just how much candy we can pile on the kitchen table (although that’s fun, too!).

Just as we’ve seen small birthday parties and neighborhood get-togethers succeed when everyone wears masks and stays socially distant, Halloween can provide the same opportunity for laughter and celebration. Why not host a pumpkin-carving contest, with families competing in a socially-distanced setting for best scary face, best funny face, and more? Combine the contest with a costume parade (again, socially distant!) and a bring-your-own chili dinner to complete an afternoon of safe, family-focused fun.  Perhaps new traditions could be born this year – order some ghoulishly good treats from West Tenth and plan a family game night. And why not add a spooky playlist and a late-night movie to round out the evening?

Don’t forget those who may be alone this year. There are many who enjoy Halloween but rarely leave their home, and this year they may feel especially alone. Many older people love the simple joy of giving candy out to trick-or-treaters, so they may be missing a big night. Leave a bag of goodies ordered from West Tenth on their doorstep, or give them a call to check on them. You could even pay a visit to your local nursing home or assisted living center, with a leave-behind bag of crafts, games, and treats. Call ahead to the home, to make sure it’s okay to drop off such a gift.

Most of all, make it exciting. When we look back on this Halloween, we’ll remember the new traditions we made and the people we spent them with. While it won’t be the same as years past, we can still make Halloween full of treats, goodwill, and fun.